Aimee Fisher will make her Olympic Games return at Paris 2024 after being named in a New Zealand team led by five-time champion Lisa Carrington.
Canoe Racing New Zealand and the New Zealand Olympic Committee have announced their largest ever women’s Canoe Sprint team for an Olympic Games with six paddlers poised to wear the fern.
The athletes will compete across the K1, K2 and K4 events at the Games, with New Zealand’s most successful ever Olympian Carrington leading the charge and contesting all three disciplines.
Carrington will be joined by Alicia Hoskin in the K2, as the duo look to defend the gold medal she won with Caitlin Regal at Tokyo 2020.
Hoskins will also team up with Carrington and Olympic debutants Tara Vaughan and Olivia Brett in the K4.
The quartet will go into the Games as world champions, having last year won New Zealand’s first-ever world title in the big boat.
Rio 2016 Olympian Fisher will make her Olympic comeback as she will contest the K1 500 as well as the K2 500 where she will be joined in the boat by Lucy Matehaere.
Fisher, who did not compete at Tokyo 2020 after stepping away from the squad, said she was looking forward to competing in another Olympic Games.
“It means so much,” Fisher told 1News.
“it’s been pretty turbulent at times.
“There’s been some low points, but I wouldn’t change a thing.
“I love who I’m becoming, walking through this fire and I’m excited to see who I can be on the other side of the Olympics.
“This is hard.
“You know it’s still four months out but the pressure is on, every day matters.
“It’s white-hot pressure and you just keep walking forward.”
Paris 2024 will be Carrington’s fourth Olympic Games and she says it is “such a privilege” to be named on a New Zealand Olympic team.
“For me, every Olympics is about learning, growing, seeing how fast I can go, and also about the amazing people and athletes that I get to paddle with,” said Carrington.
“I’m really excited to go to another Olympic Games, this is a great team and I’m looking forward to the competition.”
It is the first time New Zealand has ever qualified and named six female canoe sprint athletes for an Olympic Games.
Nathan Luce, General Manager of Performance at Canoe Racing New Zealand, said: “It’s been a full team effort, from coaches, athletes, support staff and athletes who were trialing and didn’t make the end squad.
“It’s been a three year process and to see it produce six spots for the Games is special and we’re excited to see what we can do in Paris.”
Click here for Canoe Racing New Zealand's website
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